Can I Keep Him?
by Bluejay Blaze
Summary: Prussia finds a baby in the woods and brings them home. However, as the boy grows, he turns out to be more than Prussia was expecting. But a parent will do anything for their child... Right? May continue if people like the one-shot.


It wasn't unusual for Prussia to come charging into the house yelling nonsense. Actually, it was more of the norm. So when the albino knight burst into his study with a bundle in his arms, Germany didn't pay his older brother any mind.

The blond nation was busy looking over some new trade agreements between himself and Canada. Since Prussia and the North American had become involved, trade between Germany and Canada had picked up considerably. Not that Germany minded. Canada was polite and quiet, and unlike some of the other nations, often had ideas that made sense. How he could be related to America, whose plans always involved superheroes and giant robots, Germany would never know.

"Vest, stop ignoring ze awesome me!" Prussia grabbed the back of Germany's chair and spun it around, forcing the blond to face his older brother. Germany sighed.

"Vat do you vant Gilbert?"

Prussia held up the bundle of cloth in his arms. "Can I keep him?" Gilbird peeped atop the albino's head, echoing the sentiment.

Germany couldn't even see what was in the bundle, but he didn't really want to know. Last time something like this had happened, he'd had to save Prussia from being swallowed by a python the elder had "rescued" from a zoo.

The bundle squirmed and let out a cry somewhere between a kitten and an eagle. Germany eyed it dubiously. _Has Gilbert managed to acquire a gryphon? I thought I told England not to give him any more mythical creatures. That dragon twelve years ago was awful!_

"Gilbert," Germany began, rubbing his head in frustration, "You can't keep vild animals in the house. Now go put it back vere you found it."

Prussia's eyes started to water. Too bad Germany was immune to his brother's puppy dog face; it was nothing compared to Italy's. "But Vest, he's not a vild animal! Look!"

Pulling back some of the cloth from his bundle, Prussia shoved it in Germany's face. A pair of large grey eyes blinked at the annoyed personification from under a tangle of dirty blond hair. Germany glared at his brother.

"Preussen, you can't run around kidnapping babies! Return him to his parents zis instant!"

"Ze awesome me didn't kidnap him!" Prussia clutched the child to his chest defensively. "Kanada and I found him. He vas all alone in ze voods Vest; ve couldn't just leave him zere. Kanada said it vas okay viz him, but I have to ask you since I'm still living here, ja?"

Germany sighed. "Even if he vas abandoned, do you have any idea how much vork zis vill be? He's not chust a pet you know; having ein Kind is a lot of responsibility."

Prussia drew himself up to his full height, his face losing its hyperactive grin. A strange light flickered into his red eyes, an almost maternal warmth. Germany couldn't remember ever having seen his older brother look like that.

"I know zat Vest. Don't vorry, I've done it before; I raised you after all."

That shut down any protests Germany could think to make. Instead he smiled fondly, remembering what it was like when he was small. Prussia had taught him everything he knew. Maybe having a child around would be good for the albino nation.

"Alright Gilbert, he can stay. Vat vill you name him?"

Smiling warmly, Prussia booped the child's nose gently with a finger. The baby boy giggled and tried to grab Prussia's hand.

"Fritz. Honestly, vat else vould I call mein awesome son?"

-wibbley-wobbley time skip-

Germany had to admit, Prussia was a good parent. Every few hours he would see Gilbert curled up on the couch with Fritz, patiently feeding the baby. It was certainly hard work. Fritz didn't like the formula Prussia had bought and fought every attempt to get him to drink. He was strong too; the fights always left Gilbert exhausted, though he _did _manage to get the baby fed.

Other than meal times, Fritz was a delight. Germany smiled, watching his brother read stories to the human child who sat there, eyes wide, staring at the pictures. Fritz never cried or squirmed away; he seemed happy enough to sit with Gilbert for hours.

One day, after Fritz had been particularly difficult at breakfast, Germany found himself watching the baby while Prussia went out to buy more formula. It made him uncomfortable. Unlike Gilbert, Ludwig knew nothing about children. He'd never raised a colony of his own.

Luckily Fritz was just as good for his uncle as he was for his father. The baby lay in his cradle, sucking his thumb and watching Germany. The blond nation had moved said cradle to his study so he could watch Fritz and still get some work done.

"Doitsu, Doitsu!" Germany looked up to see Italy leaning over Fritz's cradle. The brunet grinned and bounded over, flinging his arms around Germany's waist.

"Luddy, is-a that the bambino Mattie was telling me about? The one Gil adopted?"

"Ja, he is." Germany smiled and pried himself free of Italy. It always made him happy that his boyfriend and Prussia's liked each other so much. "Gilbert named him Fritz."

Italy beamed and wandered back over to the cradle, rocking it gently. Then he frowned. "Ve~ Luddy, I think-a there's something wrong with-a Fritz. He doesn't look-a right."

"Was?" Germany rushed to the cradle and picked up his nephew. Fritz looked the same as ever: a little paler and thinner than most babies, but other than that, Germany couldn't see anything odd. Italy could though.

"Ve~ See? There's too much-a blue in his skin tone, and his ears are-a pointy. I think he's-a sick."

Germany frowned and looked at Fritz closely. Yes, he supposed the boy was a little bluish, but his eyes were healthy enough. Bright grey, with hints of silver and gold at the edges. And pointy ears were nothing to worry about, surely?

A little hand closed over Germany's finger interrupting his thoughts. Fritz stared up at him, a serious expression on his tiny face. With all the gravity of a king pronouncing a new law, the little boy opened his mouth and… spoke.

"Mutti."

The single word left Germany confused and Italy giggling. Germany frowned. "Feliciano, vat are you laughing at?"

"Oh Doitsu, the bambino just-a called you his mother. It's so cute!"

"I know very vell vat he said." Germany looked down at Fritz, wondering what could've given the little boy the idea that he was his mother. An image leapt unbidden to his head of the frilly pink apron Italy had bought him once as a joke. _Well, it would be a waste not to wear it… But did Gilbert have to teach him that way? I'm going to kill him._

Just then the door swung open. "Vest, I'm home!"

Before Germany could do anything, Italy grabbed Fritz out of his arms and raced downstairs. "Ve~ Gil! Your bambino said his-a first word!"

Germany arrived in the hall to see Prussia grab Fritz for cuddles. "Really? Zat's awesome! Vat did he say?"

"He called me Mutti." Germany's face turned red. Prussia started laughing.

"Ksesesesesesesese! Oh Vest, you should be honoured! Mein awesome son loves you!"

"Zat's not ze issue Gilbert! I'm his Onkel, not his Mutter."

"Oh, suck it up Vest. At least you never have to deal viz feeding him."

-This time skip is bigger on the inside-

Fritz grew much more quickly than a young nation, something that Germany could tell Prussia was having trouble adjusting to. It seemed practically no time before it was time for him to leave for his first day of school. Germany was the one to take the young boy shopping for supplies, as the mere mention of sending his baby to school reduced Prussia to tears.

Over the past few years, Fritz's oddness had become more pronounced. He was shorter and thinner than other children his age, as well as having a blue tint to his pale skin and ears that came to an elfin point. Prussia had taken his son to several doctors, but each one had said that Fritz was perfectly healthy. His blood was blue- that was what caused the strange colour- but there was nothing wrong with it that anyone could see.

Fritz clutched Germany's hand tightly as they entered the store. "Do I have to?" the boy whimpered, burying his face in his uncle's leg. Germany reached across to pat him on the head.

"Ja, you do. Going to school is important Fritz; how else vill you learn to read and write? Your Vater und I von't do it for you forever."

"Vati could teach me," Fritz pouted, "Or Onkel Roderich. Or I could go to Gakuen- Mph!"

Germany clasped a hand over Fritz's mouth. "Ve're in public," he reminded the boy, "You can't talk about you-know-what here. Besides, you're not like your Vati und I. You vouldn't fit in at ze Gakuen."

"I won't fit in at human school either," Fritz muttered. Germany sighed. There it was again. Fritz seemed convinced that he wasn't human. Truly, Germany was inclined to agree, but with no more evidence than blue blood and a feeling of not fitting in, he really couldn't tell what Fritz was.

The boy pouted and started playing with his loose tooth, doing his best to ignore anything to do with going to school. His best wasn't good enough though; after a moment, Germany sighed and picked his nephew up. Fritz was worryingly light in the nation's arms.

"You're going to school vezer you like it or not. Now eizer you pick out your school supplies or I vill do it for you."

-timey-wimey skip-

Prussia was worried. Roughly halfway through kindergarten his beloved Fritz had fallen ill. Doctors at both human and nation hospitals were at loss. The boy had no fever and all his blood tests came back as close to normal as they ever had. But Fritz's eyes were glazed and hooded, and exhaustion overwhelmed his tiny body. He could barely walk from his bed to the bathroom.

Nudging the door open with his hip, Prussia carried a tray of steaming soup into his son's room. "Fritz, are you awake?"

"Ja Vati, I'm awake." Fritz struggled into a sitting position, then made a face. "I don't want soup."

"Vell you need to eat somezing." Prussia sat beside his son and placed the tray on the nightstand. "If you don't keep your strengz up you'll never get better, und zat's totally not awesome."

Fritz grinned, his smile showing two unnaturally pointed teeth. After his first baby teeth had fallen out, blades that would make a shark jealous had grown in their place. "I'll get better Vati, don't worry. I'm just… so hungry."

"Zen eat your soup." Prussia carefully spooned soup into his son's mouth, not trusting Fritz to feed himself. Even if he wasn't so difficult about food, the boy's hands were trembling too much to eat without spilling.

Whining, Fritz complied, too weak to fight his father. Once he was done he curled into a ball, yawning and falling into an uneasy slumber. Prussia sat and stroked Fritz's hair for a moment before slipping out and heading downstairs. He collapsed on the couch, head in his hands. Moments later, Germany sat down beside him.

"Vat's wrong Gilbert?"

"Oh Vest, I don't know vat to do." Prussia blinked back tears. "Ze doctors don't know vat's wrong und no matter vat I do, he chust keeps getting veaker. I can't lose him Vest! Not yet!"

Strong arms closed around Prussia and he leaned into them gratefully. "If- if only ve knew vat he vas, vy he's different, maybe zen I could help him."

"Vell, vere did you find him?" Germany's voice rumbled low and soothing. Prussia looked up at his brother, wiping tears from his eyes.

"I found him in ze forest vile visiting Matthew. Ve- ve vere out valking und it vas almost dark… I couldn't have left him zere Vest! Vat kind of person abandons ein Kind in ze voods?"

"So his kind are Canadian zen," Germany mused. "Maybe Matthew knows vat Fritz is. It vould be at least vorz a try."

Prussia's eyes lit up. He hadn't thought of that! Rushing to the phone, Prussia dialed his boyfriend's number and started babbling the moment Canada picked up. It was several minutes before he paused for breath.

"Let me make sure I got everything," Canada said at the other end. "Blue blood, pointed ears, shark-like teeth?"

"Don't forget his veirdness about food," Prussia reminded his boyfriend. "Fritz absolutely refuses to eat vegetables or fruits unless I cook zem viz meat. Oh, und he eats a lot, but he's still really skinny. I zink zat's vy- vy he's so sick."

"Has he ever bitten you?" Canada asked. Prussia frowned.

"Nein! Fritz is a good boy! He vould never bite ze awesome me!"

"I'm coming over," Canada informed him. "I think I know what the problem is, but I need to see for myself to make sure." He hung up before Prussia could respond.

Moments later, there was a knock on the door. Prussia opened it to let Canada in. "Fritz is in his room. Do you need anyzing?"

"No. But Prussia," Canada sighed. His eyes looked grim. "I know you don't want to hear this, but if I'm right, there might not be anything we can do. What Fritz is- he might be too dangerous to let live."

Prussia glared. "Vat are you saying? Is he a vampire or somezing?"

"No. If Fritz is what I think he is, he's much worse than a vampire."

Canada headed up to Fritz's room. It was an hour before he came down, and hour that Prussia spent tensed up in fear. He hated the thought that his son could be dangerous, hated that Canada might ask him to abandon his beloved Fritz. By the time Canada came back down, Prussia was trembling with pent up rage and sadness.

"Vell?" Prussia spat, "Vat's happening to him? Vat's wrong viz mein Fritz?"

Canada sighed. "He's hungry, plain and simple. Not sick, not injured, just hungry. But Gil," Canada sat down, forcing Prussia to sit beside him, "This isn't a hunger that can be satisfied with soup and wurst. You're not going to like this, but I think you need to let him go."

"Was? Nein!" Prussia tried to leap to his feet, but Canada held him down.

"Gilbert, listen to me! Fritz is dangerous. I wasn't sure over the phone, but up close it's obvious. He's a hybrid of two of the most dangerous creatures in my mythology."

Prussia blinked. He didn't understand. _Fritz is a hybrid of what? _"Was? Mattie, vat are you saying?"

Sighing, Canada explained. "Fritz has characteristics of both a skin-walker and a wendigo. He's a shape-shifter Gil; a shape-shifter and a man-eater. It's a miracle he hasn't attacked anyone yet."

"So you're saying Fritz is hungry for- for human flesh?" Canada nodded. Prussia shuddered. The thought repulsed him. But at the same time, he couldn't just let his child die.

"I'll send him to ze 2Ps," Prussia said decisively. "Zey- some of zem do zings like zat, ja? Zey'll look after him."

"Idiot!" Canada slapped him. "That's a horrible idea! Can you imagine what our darker selves would do with a child like Fritz? You don't understand, do you? He has the strength and speed of nature's greatest predators and he eats _humans_! Do you want to see what kind of killing machine the 2Ps would turn him into?"

Prussia shook his head. Canada sighed and stood to leave.

"If you want, I'll send someone with experience in these things to deal with him. Though, he's so weak right now, anyone who know the right end of the blade could manage it." Without another word, Canada swept out of the house.

Prussia stared after his boyfriend. He'd never seen Canada act so cold. It took several minutes for the albino nation to notice his brother looming over him.

"Vat do you vant Vest?"

"I vant to know vat you're going to do." Germany sat down beside Prussia. The albino burrowed into his brother's welcome warmth, tears welling up in his awesome red eyes.

"Ich weiss nicht. Vat can I do Vest? Fritz is dangerous. I have to protect our people."

Soft scuffing noises interrupted Prussia's thoughts. He and Germany looked up to see Fritz sliding slowly down the stairs. The boy clutched a blanket around himself like a cape. Tears shone in his flint and mica eyes.

"Vati, it hurts."

Forgetting everything he'd just said, Prussia ran to pick up his son. "Vat hurts Leibling? Vati vill make it all better."

Fritz rubbed his stomach. "I'm so hungry Vati. I didn't know you could hurt from being hungry." The boy buried his face in Prussia's shoulder. Sobs wracked his thin form. Prussia looked at Germany.

"He lasted five years vizout," the albino said imploringly. "It vouldn't have to happen often. Ve don't even have to tell him- tell him vat he is."

Germany stood, his face contorted in a conflicted frown. "I- I can't," he stammered. "I'm sorry Gilbert, but I can't let you knowingly do zat to even vun of our citizens."

Prussia rubbed Fritz's back, feeling the jutting protrusions of spine and ribs. He couldn't do it. When Canada had been telling him about the danger, letting Fritz die had made sense, but with the five year old trembling in his arms…

"He's my son Vest. I can't chust give up on him."

Before Germany could say or do anything, Prussia ran upstairs to Fritz's room and locked the door. Setting his child on the floor, the albino nation took off his shirt and sliced a long, shallow cut on his arm. Fritz cuddled close to him, sniffing like a wild animal. His mind may not have understood what was going on, but his instincts knew perfectly well.

"It's okay," Prussia whispered. "Eat up Fritz. Vati doesn't want you to go hungry."

For a moment Fritz sat there and stared in confusion. Prussia saw shock and fear fill his son's eyes as the wendigo instincts took over. Then sharp teeth tore into the nation's shoulder and he knew no more.

-Evil time skip of Prussia lying on the ground in a pool of blood-

It took Germany far too long to open the door. Unlike Prussia he wasn't a master of picking locks. When he finally did get into Fritz's room, the sight nearly made him vomit. Prussia was lying on the floor in a pool of blood, a bite shaped chunk missing from his shoulder. The albino was unconscious and barely breathing. Such a wound wouldn't kill a nation, but the pain must be almost unbearable.

Not far away sat Fritz, the front of his pyjamas covered in blood. The boy's mouth was ringed in red and his pointed teeth dripped with it. He was panting heavily, a look of shock on his face. Tears ran thickly from shining eyes.

"Vati," Fritz gasped. "Nein, Vati, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!"

The distraught boy looked up at Germany. "Onkel Ludwig, help! What do I do? I didn't mean to hurt Vati, I swear!"

Fritz bounded over and buried his face in Germany's legs. The blond nation froze in shock and fear. He couldn't reconcile the Fritz he and Prussia had raised with this bloody mess. Fight or flight instinct kicked in and Germany pushed his nephew away, sending Fritz stumbling back over to Prussia's bloody form.

For several minutes the two stared at each other in silence, the only sound that of tears dripping on the floor. Then a pair of red eyes opened, drawing everyone's attention. Prussia struggled to sit up, leaning against the wall for support.

"Vat's wrong Fritz?" Prussia asked weakly. "I zought I told you to eat up."

"Nein! I don't want to eat Vati!" Fritz curled up into a ball. Prussia tried to crawl over to comfort him, but Germany held his brother back.

"Bruder, vat are you zinking? He could kill you."

Hearing this, Fritz nodded and scuttled to the other side of the bed. "Onkel's right Vati. Stay away! I- I don't want to hurt you."

Prussia clutched at his wounded arm and smiled weakly. Germany's field medic training finally kicked in and he ripped the sleeve off Prussia's shirt, using it to bind up the worst of the injuries. The blond nation watched his nephew carefully, alert for any threatening moves.

"Und I don't vant to see you hurt." Prussia struggled away from Germany and slid over to where Fritz crouched. "No Vati wants to see his son in pain Fritz. Ze awesome me would gladly give my life to keep you happy und healzy. So come on, eat up."

Fritz frowned. "I'm not hungry anymore."

Unconvinced, Prussia glared at his little wendigo. "Fritz, vat have I said about lying?"

"Not the way I was before," Fritz amended. "I don't feel yucky anymore. Can- can we have wiener schnitzel for supper?"

"Only if you promise to eat your vegetables. You need vegetables to grow up as awesome as Vati. Especially potatoes."

Fritz nodded, making a face. Prussia smiled and ruffled the boy's hair before turning back to Germany. "Alright Vest, help ze awesome me downstairs to cook. Fritz needs privacy to change out of his un-awesomely bloody pyjamas."

Thoroughly confused, Germany hauled Prussia to his feet. "You can valk by yourself; he didn't bite your leg."

"But ze awesome me is weak from blood loss!"

Germany sighed and lifted his brother over one shoulder. "Zere, happy now?" He carried his brother downstairs before waiting for a reply.

When Germany deposited Prussia on a chair, the albino nation was grinning like an idiot. "All it took vas vun bite Vest. I can manage zis; I've had vorse injuries before."

"You're seriously going to let zat little demon eat little chunks of you?" Germany shuddered. "Bruder, zat's disgusting! Und painful! Even viz your nation abilities, you vere passed out on ze floor."

"It's better zan having him go around killing citizens, ja?" Prussia's eyes hazed over with the maternal look Germany had seen when he first brought Fritz home. "Besides, zere's nozing ze awesome me wouldn't do for you and Fritz. You'll understand ven you have colonies of your own."

-long time skip; like, ten years or so-

"Oi, vake up!" Prussia burst into his son's room with a frown on his face. Bandages were wrapped around his shoulder to prevent the bite wound there from becoming infected before it could regenerate. "Chust because last night vas a feeding night doesn't mean you can sleep in! It's ze first day of school!"

A teenage wendigo growled from somewhere in the pile of blankets. Seconds later, a head popped out. Long, messy dirty blond hair stuck up in every direction; Prussia's fingers itched with the urge to cut it. Last time he'd tried though, said fingers had been nearly bitten off.

"Do I have to?" Fritz whined. "The humans are starting to get suspicious you know."

It was true. While his classmates were starting to hit puberty, Fritz's aging was slowing. He was a magical creature after all; his life was much longer than a human's. England and Canada had estimated that the wendigo wouldn't become an adult until his mid-fifties.

"Ja, you have to go to school." Prussia tossed a bundle of cloth at Fritz's bed. "But you're not going to zat un-awesome human school anymore. I've found somevere vere you can learn vat you _really _need to know, like fighting und how to control zat verdammt shape-shifting."

Fritz sat up and picked up the bundle Prussia had thrown at him. His eyes went wide. It was a school uniform… For Gakuen Hetalia. The wendigo looked up at his father with shining eyes.

"But I thought Gakuen Hetalia only accepted personifications as students?"

"Zey've made an exception for you. After all, mein awesome Kind is too awesome for a human school."

Fritz leapt out of bed, a tail sprouting from his rear as he flew towards Prussia. The nation staggered under the weight of the sudden hug. Fritz was no longer the skinny child he'd been in his when Prussia first found him. Bits of his father's flesh had nourished the wendigo into a stocky, strong young man.

"Danke Vati!" Fritz nuzzled into his father's chest, his tail waving happily. Prussia laughed and patted his son on the back.

"Kein problem, mein klein monster." Prussia kissed his son's head. "Just remember not to bite ze ozer students… Unless zey say it's okay I guess. But you von't have to vorry so much about your strengz anymore at least; personifications are much more durable zan humans."

Prussia left his son alone to get changed, heading downstairs to help Germany make breakfast. The blond looked askance at his older brother as Prussia started to make pancakes.

"Gilbert… Are you sure zis is a gut idea? Vat if he can't keep up? Fritz may be strong, but he's not a personification."

"Ksesesesesesese! Vest, you vorry to much! First you're scared Fritz vill hurt everyvun, now you're vorried everyvun vill hurt him. Make up your mind already!"

"But-"

Prussia raised his hand to silence his younger brother. "Fritz vill be fine. He's never attacked a human, so I trust him not to harm a personification. Und as for keeping up…" Prussia sighed.

"He's stronger zan me now Vest. He's so strong, und he's not even grown. Now I know vat England felt like raising Amerika und Canada. Zey grew so much faster zan most of us, und zey're so strong…"

"If you could go back," Germany asked hesitantly, "Vould you do any of it differently?"

Prussia grinned. "Not at all, Vest, not at all."


End file.
